This invention relates to an improved decorative fabric which is produced on stitch through type machines, and which is useful among other things, in decorative applications because of the decorative form on each side of the fabric.
This fabric may comprise a layer of substantially parallel warp elements, as well as a layer of substantially parallel filling elements. An open mesh fabric may be obtained by spacing the warp elements, and/or the warp elements are affixed to the flexible substrate by laying them on top of the substrate and joining both into an integral structure by means of knitting threads.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,187, June 27, 1972 for Fabric describes a fabric made on a stitch through type machine, and the knitting thread forms a series of warpwise loop chains which bind together into a structure and substrate, and the design elements pierce the substrate and pierce the individual design elements of a substantial number of random points to secure the substrate and design elements against relative displacement.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,160 to Duhl, et al, Mar. 11, 1980 for "Fabric and Apparatus and Method for Making Same" describes a fabric having warp and weft threads which are bound or stitched together, that is sew-knitted together, by a machine of the warp-knitting, multiple needle stitching type, the contrast between the various yarns and the raised textures of the warp yarns coupled with a twisting of the warp yarns on the obverse side of the material, providing a decorative relief effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,527, also to Duhl, for "Wall Construction Material Comprising a Rigid Support With A Textile Material Facing Laminated Thereto" describes a wall construction material comprising a textile material of a non-woven spun fibrous batting having a filling and one or more warp elements disposed on the filling face or obverse to constitute a front surface of the textile material. The reverse side is bonded to form a wall construction material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,216 to Duhl, Aug. 25, 1981 for "Single Bar, Warp Lift-Off-Resistant, Lofted Fabric Construction" describes a fabric having a warp lift-off resistant fabric comprising a flexible substrate such as textile yarn filling elements, warp elements on the obverse, and knitting thread forming warpwise stitches. The sew-knit thread uses chain stitch courses and half-tricot stitch courses to bind the substrate and warp elements against relative displacement, and stabilize the fabric. The fabric displays a relief effect with the warp elements on the obverse side of the fabric for decorative purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,141,560 to Rucnick, Dec. 27, 1938 for Ornamental Fabric and Method of Making Same, shows a colored stencil sheet or pattern sheet as a backing to a translucent or transparent facing sheet. The stencil sheet may be cloth such as muslin on which a desired colored pattern is printed. An ordinary stitching operation is employed.
The various machines for performing the operation of sewknitting described above may be of the "Malimo" type, well known in the trade, and capable of effecting stitch bonding with interlocking chain stitches, or plain chain stitches, similar to the stitches used in warp knitting. The Malimo type machines are known and understood in the art. Similar effects may be achieved by using weft insertion machines such as made by Lieber or Meyer in Germany.